Nintendo to set up 17 pop-up shops across US soon

In its zest to boost its experiential marketing presence, Nintendo will soon launch 17 pop-up experiences in malls across the US from November 11 to December 17. The shops come as the Nintendo Switch continues to drive stellar sales for the gaming giant.

From Massachusetts to California, the cross-country Nintendo Holiday Experience will let consumers try out Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS systems, as well as play popular games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey.

The shops will also include QR codes for visitors to scan and enter for a chance to win a collectible Platinum Point card that can earn 100, 300 or 500 points to be used in games.

A month following its March release, Switch drove massive growth in the US video game market helping to push overall hardware sales up by 37% compared to April 2016, according to market research firm The NPD Group. Switch is also expected to catapult Nintendo to a profit of US$1 billion this year.

The pop-ups also speak to the growing trend of hands-on retail experiences. Toys “R” Us, for one, is also running a holiday pop-up store in Times Square that includes dedicated play areas allowing kids to test out the season’s hottest toys.